"For the tenth time, it is against policy to register for classes this late. Perhaps if you showed up a week or two after classes started, I could have made an exception but it is now early December," chided the elderly woman behind the glossy oak desk, peering over her thick, round glasses.
Most people hoped to achieve greatness in life, to become a somebody before time was up and they were just another tombstone with some generic, uplifting message. That greatness was subjective, whether it was finding the cure for some dreadful disease or becoming the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. No matter how much they claimed to despise being the center of attention, a small part of them would readily admit that they enjoyed the spotlight. It was not unheard of to think that humans were naturally selfish beings who believed themselves to be the most important species on the planet. Beca Pierce had the opposite problem. She wished to become invisible, to be nothing more than a face in the crowd. Being a tiny speck in the vast universe sounded like paradise to her and her desire is what led to this exact moment: arguing with the secretary in the registrar's office at Central City University.
With her thick glasses and a face that resembled a mastiff, it was a wonder that the secretary was able to read papers or even type on a computer, though the font size was large enough to be seen from outer space. The conversation had taken a turn for the worse from the beginning when Beca hurried into the office without knocking first. Her appearance also did her no favors with the prudish woman who looked like she belonged in the setting of a Jane Austen novel rather than the twenty first century. From the minute she accidentally collided with the desk, she felt the secretary's shrewd eyes judging her ripped leggings, her nose stud, and her cropped denim jacket that was stained with dirt in the back. The elderly secretary refused to allow her late entry into classes at the university, despite Beca's excuse that she recently moved to the city. Her suggestion was for Beca to transfer to the university in the spring.
"I can't wait that long. I need—"
"Need what?"
"I just need to be enrolled now. Can you please make an exception this one time? I won't take no for an answer. I'll sit in this office all day until you say yes and before you think that security can keep me out, believe me that I will find a way back in here. I can tell that you're busy so if you want to get back to typing on that dinosaur of a computer, then just give me the papers I need. It's that simple."
"If it gets you out of my hair, then fine. Children these days…irresponsible and never appreciating a thing. I'll at least need your transcripts to put you into the system."
Beca scratched the back of her ear. "Right. This is a funny story. I don't exactly have—"
She jumped as the secretary slammed her hand down on the desk. "No transcripts yet you except me to put you in classes this late into the semester!"
Reaching into her tattered leather purse, she offered to show her ID. The secretary's pale face was slowly turning a blotchy red and for a moment, Beca thought she was going to climb over the desk and tear off her head. Beginning to resemble a shaken soda bottle about to explode, her lips were pursed together so tightly that they practically vanished from her face. Beca sighed with relief when the door swung open, saving her from the explosion. A middle-aged man, dressed in a crisp black suit, walked into the office, skimming through a manila folder. The tiny wrinkles around his eyes showed his age but did not detract from his handsome features.
"Agnes, I was hoping to—oh, is there a problem?" he asked, noticing the heavy tension in the office.
The secretary patted down the frizz in her white hair. "Dr. Barnett, I apologize for the mess. This young lady refuses to leave the office after I specifically told her that we cannot allow transfers this late into the semester," she explained, speaking in a much nicer tone.
"Actually, she is why I came to the office."
Introducing Beca as his niece, he explained that she was recently moved to Central City after a terrible tragedy involving her parents and he was her only remaining family. Agnes's demeanor changed considerably as she listened to his sob story. She looked at him as if he was a dashing knight in shining armor and Beca was his damsel in distress.
"I offered to let her stay in my home but you know how kids are at this age. They want independence and all that. I have her transcripts right here."
He placed the folder on the desk and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, squeezing a little too tightly. "My niece, full of energy but so forgetful sometimes. Didn't I tell you to wait for me before you came here?"
Beca avoided his gaze, staring at her sneakers. "Like you said, I forgot. I didn't mean to cause any trouble, D—Uncle Damien."
"I've written down the classes to enroll her in for this semester and the next. Her courses at her old college are very similar to the ones here so she'll have no trouble with taking any finals. That is why she took so long to enroll. I wanted her to take a few weeks to recuperate after her loss."
Agnes smiled. "Understandable. Seems she's following in her brilliant uncle's footsteps. This will only take a moment."
A moment appeared to be elderly speak for a long, agonizing twenty minutes as Agnes spent most of the time, squinting at the bright screen. Damien made idle chitchat with her about some rumors spreading around campus, regarding the dean's retirement. Agnes vehemently denied the rumor though when she mentioned the dean, there was a hint of melancholy in her voice. She handed a class schedule and a copy of the student handbook, subtly referring to the dress code guidelines on page ten.
"I've already got her room assignment. Thank you for your help, Agnes."
Brushing his thumb in small circles on her shoulder, he led her out of the office. His grip tightened on her shoulder as they turned the corner and waited for the elevator.
"Did I not tell you to wait for me?" he asked, sternly.
"I—I just…I didn't think—"
"Clearly, you didn't."
"I'm sorry," she said, shutting her eyes.
She was taken aback by him cupping her cheek, expecting a far worse reaction. He chuckled quietly to himself.
"I can't stay mad at that face. Next time, listen to me. I'm only looking out for you, Beca. Without me, you'd have nowhere to go."
"I know."
"Why don't we stop at the house for—"
"Actually, I uh just want to go to the apartment. I think I should get to know the campus too so it's not really obvious that I'm new. That's okay, right?"
"Of course."
Damien dropped her off at her apartment building, which was very close to the campus, reminding her to call him if she found herself in any trouble. Every inch of her apartment, from the living room to the bedroom, was already lavishly decorated and a note left on the kitchen counter tipped her off that Damien was the secret decorator. She was uncomfortable with some things, finding them to be more his style than hers. Digging through her purse, she placed a partially broken picture frame inside the top drawer of the dresser, burying it underneath the clothes. The picture in the frame was of a young woman hugging an eight year old girl.
Beca stepped out onto the balcony and leaned against the railing. She was not used to living in such a big city or listening to all the different sounds, from children playing in the streets to cars honking their horns. On the side of a nearby building, the billboards kept changing to reflect a new advertisement. The largest billboard showed a picture of a building, along with the words: Don't miss the special event at STAR Labs. A once in a lifetime opportunity. Hearing her stomach growl, she decided to find someplace to eat, giving her a chance to explore the city. She left the apartment building with her purse, significantly lighter, slung over her shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a brown station wagon parked directly across from the building.
"It's nothing," she muttered as she crossed the street.
She repeatedly apologized for bumping into people in the massive crowd though they did not extend the same courtesy, merely nodding their heads, continuing on in silence, or responding with a vulgar comment. Hoping to avoid a man who followed her for nearly three blocks to get her number, she slipped inside Big Belly Burger, a fast food restaurant. She waited at the end of the long line, standing on her toes to read the menu. Her eyes wandered around the restaurant, first resting on a man and woman, dressed in police uniforms, eating in a booth and then a heavyset behind the counter. His pale yellow button down shirt barely stretched over his wide belly. She was puzzled by the annoyed expression on his face, directed towards her. Every so often, her eyes drifted over to the two cops and she anxiously tapped her fingers against her purse.
"You might want to take off the hat before you're kicked out," she heard.
Turning around, she was face to face with a boy not much older than her with boyish features, well-coiffed dark brown hair, and green eyes. He pointed towards the man behind the counter, informing her that the manager banned hats from inside the restaurant. Blushing, she removed her knitted hat and threw it in her purse.
"It's weird, I know. I never really could figure out why he doesn't like hats."
"Thanks for telling me. I've never been in here before so I didn't know about that rule."
"Oh, are you uh new to Central City?"
She nodded. "Just finished transferring to Central City University. The old lady at the registrar's office took forever. I'm Beca."
"Agnes is still there, huh? Yea, she hated me. I was always late to register for classes and—I'm uh Barry, by the way…Barry Allen."
He moved his hand from his coat pocket, holding a bag of what looked like animal droppings. Following her gaze, it was his turn to blush and he quickly stuffed the bag back into his pocket. She stifled a laugh as he awkwardly tried to explain his reasons for having the bag, undoubtedly making the situation even more embarrassing.
"It's not my—not that you'd think it was mine. That would be weird, right? Yea, of course it would. I collected a sample from outside the bank. It's part of what I do for—not that I always…it's not a hobby of mine. It's my job. I'm the uh CSI for CCPD. Please stop me before I make this a lot more awkward and trust me, I could."
"I can see that. Did the criminal do…that as a distraction or something?"
Barry grinned. "No, I'm pretty sure it's animal but I have to check back at my lab. I was just getting something to eat before I run the tests. Hopefully, I can finish the tests in time to get to STAR Labs."
"I saw a billboard outside my apartment. What's the big deal?"
STAR Labs was apparently a very big deal to him. He began to ramble on and on about the lab's achievements in science thanks to Harrison Wells, the man in charge, the particle accelerator being turned on later that night, and how the accelerator would open the doors to how they viewed the world and lead to all kinds of new information about the universe. Judging by the excitement in his voice, he loved science and Beca wished she could share his enthusiasm but most of the scientific words he was using made no sense. She settled for a kind smile, nodding her head after every few words.
"I'm rambling, aren't I?"
"A little but I don't mind. It's nice listening to you talk. Usually, I'm—I haven't had a lot of people to talk to lately."
"You should definitely come tonight. It'll be awesome and practically everyone will be there. I could introduce you to my friend Iris. She could tell you everything you need to know about Central City and help you meet people that are more your crowd."
"My crowd?" she asked, curiously.
He rubbed the back of his neck. "I just meant—not that I was saying…there I go with the rambling. Forget I said that. Let's start the entire conversation over. Hi, I'm Barry."
"Next," said the girl behind the cash register.
After ordering a cheeseburger, fries, and a soda, Beca waved goodbye to Barry and wished him luck on his case. The station wagon was parked in the same spot, right across the entrance to her apartment building. She jumped when she felt a buzzing sensation in her jacket pocket. Taking out her phone, she tapped the screen to read the message but the screen only showed the pale blue background. She read the instructions flashing, slide to unlock, and tilted her phone sideways before moving her finger along the bottom of the screen. A message popped up, giving her an address for eight o'clock and mentioning a surprise present. Biting her lip, she stashed the phone back in her pocket and walked up to her apartment. Outside her door was a gift box wrapped in golden paper. Tucking the box under her arm, holding the soda, and chewing three fries at once, she used her other hand to unlock the door.
The box fell to the floor with a soft thump when she noticed Damien sitting on the couch in the living room, flipping through a newspaper. She quickly swallowed the fries in her mouth but was not fast enough to hide the Big Belly Burger bag sticking out of her purse.
"Surprised to see me? Did you honestly think I wouldn't have a spare key for myself? Give me the bag, Beca."
Not bothering to argue, she handed him the soda and the bag with her fries and uneaten burger. A soft whimper escaped her lips as he threw both into the trash can.
"You know I don't approve of you eating that trash."
"It was just a burger. I haven't had one since—for a…really long time," she replied, her voice faltering as he turned towards her.
"You'll never have one as long as you're under my care. I had a meal prepared for you. Eat then get dressed. We need to get to STAR Labs by seven."
In the kitchen, she heated up a plate of 'rabbit food' in the microwave. Damien prohibited her from eating any food he deemed unhealthy and the meals he had prepared usually consisted of various vegetables and barely a handful of brown rice. She imagined herself eating a cheeseburger as she chewed a piece of cauliflower. Once she finished her dinner, she walked into her bedroom to change her outfit and around seven o'clock, Damien drove the two of them to STAR Labs, an enormous building in the middle of the city that looked like it was plucked from a science fiction movie. The sidewalk was packed with excited patrons waiting for the doors to open and news vans were parked along the street, with reporters' voices overlapping as they spoke about the event. Among those waiting on the sidewalk were passionate protestors, holding signs with slogans like Central Citizens Against STAR Labs.
Keeping his hand on the small of her back, Damien steered her towards the buff security guard standing in front of the door. The guard allowed them into the building after Damien handed him a fancy invitation written in golden, cursive letters. Being a renowned physicist gave him the perk of attending a pre-event party, attended by the best and brightest of Central City. She found herself in awe once they were inside but restrained herself from the touching the tiniest thing, fearing that it could cause an explosion. In the center of the room, a giant video screen was assembled behind a stage. Several video screens were placed along the walls, flashing images of the STAR Labs logo, interior shots of the lab, and a dark-haired, bespectacled man. She was snapped out of her daze when Damien handed her a glass of champagne.
"Do you have a lab like this?" she asked, taking a small sip.
"No. My work is mainly done at the university. Not every scientist needs this much space. In the years I've known him, Harrison has always been a bit ostentatious"
"If I recall, you called my lab impressive when it was first built," said an amused voice behind them.
The same man that repeatedly flashed across the video screens walked towards them, greeting Damien with a firm handshake. Damien had never mentioned STAR Labs or Dr. Wells before but they seemed to be more than just acquaintances.
"It is impressive but it doesn't mean you're not a showoff."
Wells chuckled. "Fair point. I didn't realize you were bringing a date tonight."
If possible, Beca's pale face, which Damien often compared to porcelain, felt like it turned chalk white. In the back of her mind, she understood his confusion, considering that she was dressed differently from the other guests. While they were all dressed warm for the frigid winter weather, in their jeans, boots, and heavy coats, she was wearing black heels and a matching peacoat and besides the different attire, she and Damien did not resemble each other, not even in an obscure way. It did not go unnoticed by her that for the briefest second, Wells's eyes rested on her long, lean legs.
"Not a date. This is Beca, my niece. She just moved to Central City a couple weeks ago and since everyone is coming out to see your little show, I thought she'd enjoy it as well."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Beca. I'm Harrison Wells."
"The guy on the screens," she replied, pointing at the screen behind her.
He grinned. "Very observant. How are you enjoying the city so far?"
"Well, I haven't had that much time to explore yet but I've heard so much about it from my uncle that I feel like I know everything."
"And do you share his interest in physics?"
"Not sure yet. I mean, I don't know much science beyond stuff I learned in third grade—" Damien's fingers dug into her waist. "You know, busy with afterschool sports and clubs and my mom caring more about me being a cheerleader than doing well in school. I'll uh see what happens when I take my classes at the university. Maybe I'll be really good at it and make my own lab and my own…particle accelerator," she said, taking a quick glimpse at the words on the screen.
"Perhaps you will. I assure you that tonight will be very special…unlike anything you've ever seen."
"I haven't seen much so that won't be hard."
Beca held back a groan of pain, hiding it behind a sweet smile. Damien's hand moved from her waist to her shoulder and he excused them from the conversation, claiming that he needed to speak with a fellow professor about the upcoming finals. He led her deep into the crowd, not saying a word until they were out of Wells's sight.
"What was that?" he hissed.
"I—I was just…I'm sorry. I don't think he noticed anything strange. P—please don't be angry with me."
"You need to be more careful. I think it's best that we keep you away from the champagne."
He snatched the glass from her. "But you always let me drink before…I need some for tonight."
"Consider it your punishment for your foolish mouth. Let's be cautious. Don't speak at all. Just look pretty, smile, and nod."
"Y—" she started before giving him a silent nod.
It was easy to follow Damien's orders since she barely understood what was being discussed between him and his colleagues. There were so many big words being thrown back and forth that it felt like her earlier conversation with Barry times a thousand. She felt both relief and dread when her phone vibrated, the screen flashing 8:00. Pretending to feel sick, she told Damien that she was returning to her apartment to get some rest. He promised to visit her after the event and she headed towards the front door, wishing that he let her drink some champagne.
"Leaving so soon, Miss Pierce?"
Her head whipped around at the mention of her last name. Wells was standing beside a nearby table, holding a half empty glass.
"How did you know…I never told you my last name."
"No, but a very loose-lipped old woman from the university let it slip. Apparently, you gave her quite an attitude this afternoon. She's not the only one talking about you. Seems we're both popular tonight."
"W—why would anyone be talking about…about me? I don't even know anyone here."
"Forgive me, but you do stand out. I suppose listening to your uncle schmooze half of the city is very boring...enough that you're willing to miss such a special event."
"It's not that. I think I ate something bad at dinner. I'm just going to take a cab back to my apartment. I uh hope that your accelerator thing goes well."
"Oh, I have no doubt that it will. Feel better."
As she left the building, squeezing past a handful of people eagerly running past her, she was startled by a loud honk. A sleek black sports car was parked on the sidewalk. Her eyes darted around her surroundings, hoping that at least one person was watching her, but everyone else on the street was only concerned with getting inside STAR Labs. Taking a deep breath, she walked towards the car and tapped on the passenger window three times. The window rolled down, revealing a boy around her age. With his disheveled sandy brown hair and worn leather jacket, he did not look like someone who could afford such an expensive car and for a moment, she wondered if he stole it to give off a better impression. She held her breath, overwhelmed by the heavy odor of cigarette smoke. The ash tray in his car was filled to the brim with cigarette butts and empty candy wrappers.
The boy smirked and she took it as a sign to get into the car. Whenever she went on these 'dates', she usually chose a nickname for them, knowing that she rarely learned their actual names. She decided on calling him Menthols for the night.
"I was worried you'd be one of those girls who has a hot profile pic but is actually ugly. Can't say I'm disappointed."
Even from a distance, she could smell the musty scent of cigarettes on his breath. Driving towards the nearest liquor store, he bragged about owning the best tech companies in Central City, sensing that she noticed the disconnect between his appearance and the expensive car. He claimed that he was nothing like the other, in his words, 'rich fat cats' but Beca thought despite his unique style, they had a lot in common, including a penchant for boasting about their wealth. She feigned interest as he bragged about traveling to Japan for a business meeting, most of her attention on his hand traveling higher and higher beneath her coat.
As she waited for him to return from the liquor store, she retrieved four small blue pills from her coat pocket and swallowed them one at a time. The effects were not immediate but after several minutes, she felt relaxed and numb. A bright light flashed in her eyes, nearly blinding her. Hearing a tapping sound, she rolled down the window, a shiny police badge shoved in her face. The man holding the badge was not much older than her 'date', looking more like a model than a cop.
"Can I help you, officer?"
He lowered the flashlight. "Didn't mean to startle you, miss. I was just checking to make sure you're alright."
"I—I'm fine. I was um—"
"Is there a problem?" she heard.
Menthols left the liquor store, carrying a six pack of beer. There was a slight tension between him and the cop, who was eyeing him suspiciously.
"Oh, you're that new detective. Thorne, right?"
"Thawne."
"Is there a reason you're bothering my cousin, Detective Thawne? I didn't realize it was illegal to sit in a car."
"You're not exactly in the best part of town, Mr. Stone."
"We were in a rush to get some drinks for a small get together. Don't you have some boring police work to do?"
"Yes, I'll get right on that. I'm sorry for bothering you, miss. Enjoy the rest of your night."
It was obvious that the detective doubted his cover story. Beca quickly understood what he meant by the neighborhood being in the 'bad part of town', spotting a group of scantily clad girls, their faces caked with makeup, sneaking into the back of a car not far from the liquor store. Taking a quick glance back at her, he looked torn between continuing to question Menthols or leaving before he angered one of the richest people in the city. He settled for giving her a curt nod before returning to his police car. Instead of his home, Menthols drove to an empty parking lot near a graffiti stained warehouse.
"Don't want my fiancée to get suspicious. The maids sometimes can't keep their mouths shut," he said, blaring rock music from the radio.
"I don't mind. So, what do you like?"
Untying her coat, she straddled his lap, wearing just a skintight, low-cut black lace dress. "Surprise me."
Beca grinded her hips against his and he groaned, leaning his head back against the seat. His hand firmly gripped her backside. She rubbed his neck lightly while nipping his earlobe. He squeezed her so tightly that she thought she might snap in half and his groans got louder as he pressed himself up against her. She was surprised when he briefly stopped, panting heavily.
"Did you just—"
"Yeah, did you?" he asked, his hand sliding under her dress.
"Yeah. That was amazing," she lied, trying not to laugh over it lasting less than ten seconds.
"I'm just that good, sexy."
Beca resisted the urge to vomit when he ravaged her mouth with sloppy kisses. She pretended to enjoy the feeling of being licked by a dog but on the inside, she was counting down the minutes until she was back in her apartment. His musty breath made it that much harder but the pills and the sound of rain drops striking the window helped, letting her escape to her own little world. He began to unzip her dress when a flash of light shined on the right side of her face. At first, she thought that the detective had been following them but turning her head, she witnessed some sort of explosion in the middle of the city. The music turned to static and the beer inside one of the unopened bottles began to rise into the air.
"What's wrong? You don't like that?" he asked, kissing her bare shoulder.
"I think something happened at STAR Labs."
"At what? Who cares? Take off that dress."
A ripple of light, like a giant tidal wave, emanated from the explosion, dispersing all across the city. The last thing she remembered that night was the light passing through the car, shattering the windows.
Another sunny morning here in Central City. Enjoy those last few days of sun before school starts again. I'm Mikey Mad Dog and beside me is my cohost, Vicky Vixen. Before we begin our Top 40 countdown, we thought we'd discuss the recent decision to again pardon STAR Labs and its owner, Dr. Harrison Wells, for its crimes against our beloved city that was devastated and nearly destroyed in a single night.
"Seriously, this again? How many times do they have to decide whether to arrest us or not? They're acting like we planned the whole thing. It's been nine months. Can't they talk about anything else?"
If you ask me, Mikey, the judge should have at least decided to charge him for something. I mean, he's this brilliant scientist and you're telling me that he didn't make sure that this big machine wouldn't blow up? I'd say karma got him by putting him in that wheelchair but it's so not enough.
"Big machine? It's a particle accelerator. Now she's probably going to go on and on for another half hour about how Wells got off easy because he's good looking and charming. Change the station. Victoria's Secret should be listening to good music, not two idiots with the combined IQ of a box of rocks."
"Cisco, we know her name. Stop calling her that."
"Well, you banned me from calling her Mrs. Cisco Ramon and I like my nicknames. It's not like she can hear me."
"Auditory functions are the last to degenerate so it's possible that she's heard every word…unfortunately."
"Then it won't be weird when she wakes up and I propose to her, right? I've got a ring pop saved in my pocket. You think she likes watermelon?"
"I think you should focus on checking her vitals, not proposing to a stranger with a piece of candy. It happened again. Did you see that spike in her metabolism?"
Beca's eyes popped open as something sharp pierced her skin. She sat up, immediately feeling lightheaded and exhausted. Instead of an expensive sports car, she was sitting on a cot in a white room filled with scientific equipment and video screens along the walls, similar to the ones in STAR Labs. Her dress had somehow been taken off and she was only wearing her bra and a pair of black sweatpants. Wires were attached all over her body, from her chest to the side of her head, and a long, thin tube was lodged inside her nostrils.
The surprised brunette girl beside her lowered the needle that was barely pressed into Beca's forearm and picked up an instrument that she had seen plenty of times in a doctor's office. Gently grabbing Beca's chin, she turned her head towards her and shined the bright light of the instrument into her eyes. Her words sounded like garbled mumbling and as she talked about things like her pulse and heart rate, Beca could not help staring at the syringe on the small table, her whole body shaking. She jumped when a hand rested on her shoulder, belonging to a smiling boy with shoulder-length dark hair. He seemed much more friendly than the girl, offering her a twizzler. Reluctantly, she took it from him and bit off a very small piece.
"Just relax, Beca. You're okay."
She removed the tube from her nose as the girl stuck the instrument in her ear. "H—how do you know my name?"
"We'll explain everything. I'm Cisco Ramon. The girl who is invading the privacy of your ears is Caitlin…Dr. Snow. Put the cup down. She doesn't have to pee right away," he said, taking a clear container from her.
"Am I in STAR Labs?"
"Yep. Well…what's left of it anyway. You've missed a lot while you were in a coma. By the way, you've been in a coma since the night of the particle accelerator explosion. It's no big deal. We've been taking care of you. The hospital didn't mind but it took a lot of convincing with your uncle. He really doesn't trust people, huh?"
"My uncle? Is he here?"
Caitlin shook her head. "No. He visited once a week, sometimes twice. He was very worried about you but Dr. Wells assured him that you would be safest here. I know this is a lot to take in but if you could just urinate in that cup so I can run some tests—"
"The girl just woke up from a coma after nine months. Give her a second," said Cisco, handing Beca a STAR Labs sweatshirt and a pair of sneakers.
As she pulled the sweatshirt over her head, she could only think of two things: being asleep for nine months and Damien. She was worried about his reaction when he learned that she was finally awake and could not even begin to imagine how much she missed in nearly a year. Caitlin, having the emotional capacity of a robot, continued to talk about performing tests and Beca's odd changes in energy levels at random times. Beca tensed up at the mention of getting a blood sample.
"I—I don't like needles."
"There's no need for that right now, Dr. Snow. I'm glad to see you're awake, Miss Pierce."
Her eyes widened as Wells entered the room in a wheelchair. She vaguely remembered hearing about it on the radio minutes before waking up but seeing it firsthand was entirely different. He beckoned her to follow him. Tying the laces of her sneakers, she jumped down from the cot, feeling like a newborn colt just learning to walk. Cisco kept her steady and once she regained her balance, she left the lab with him, Wells, and Caitlin. The current state of the laboratory was in stark contrast to the night she visited with Damien, looking more like a ghost town. There were no excited patrons waiting to see the latest invention, just a haunting silence in the long hallways. Wells explained STAR Labs had been shut down after the accident that led to the deaths of seventeen people and an even higher number of people injured in the explosion, including Wells and Beca herself.
According to Cisco, the police had found Beca shortly after the explosion, alone in a car. She refrained from asking about the whereabouts of her 'date', assuming the worst. The hospital staff was puzzled by her condition, with her being in a comatose state yet the monitors showing signs of a very healthy, awake person. The head doctor switched out four different machines, after the previous ones reported odd results, before allowing Wells to take her to STAR Labs. Damien was vehemently against the idea until he accepted, after much prodding, that the hospital was ill-equipped to help her. Passing by a series of rooms, she stopped, peeking into one of the windows. She recognized the thin, brunette boy lying on a cot with wires attached to his body, similar to how she had been before she woke from her coma.
"Barry?"
Wells looked at her, intrigued. "You know Mr. Allen?"
"We uh met the day of…the accident. Why is he here? Was he hurt too?"
"Yes, he's been in a coma all this time, same as you. He was quite the anomaly himself. When he was in the hospital, he repeatedly went into cardiac arrest. He'll be fine. There's no reason to worry, Miss Pierce. I can have Caitlin contact your uncle to inform of the change in your condition."
"No, I uh—that's okay. I'll um…I wouldn't mind the fresh air. I'll tell him…I'll uh call when I get back to my apartment."
"You just woke up from a coma, Beca. I don't think it's wise to be walking around right away. You need a few days to rest," said Caitlin.
"Seriously, I'm all good. Just let me go home."
"Okay.
Cisco looked impressed while Caitlin's eyebrows knitted together in confusion, as though she misheard her own words. "Wow, you got her to agree with you. That's a first."
Repeatedly thanking them for their help, she headed towards the front doors. Her own fear was winning out over her desire to stay at STAR Labs to check on Barry. She knew him for less than a day but he was honestly the closest thing to a friend she had in Central City. The door swung open as she reached for the handle and she collided into Damien's chest. His frustration was quickly replaced with relief and he embraced her in a warm hug. Her arms remained at her side.
"Beca, thank goodness. When did you—why didn't Harrison call me with the news?"
"We were just about to, Damien, but I suppose Beca wanted to tell you herself," replied Wells, observing the discomfort evident in Beca's face.
"Well, I'm relieved. I was beginning to think you'd never wake up. Let's get you home."
Hearing her stomach grumble, she reached into Cisco's jacket pocket, taking out the ring pop. "I like watermelon but I'm old-fashioned. I like to go on a few dates before I get married," she whispered in his ear, suppressing a giggle at the blush in his cheeks.
During the drive back to her apartment, Damien's hand never left her knee. He spoke animatedly about the beginning of a new school year and Beca already being enrolled in classes for the fall semester. It was as if she had not spent nine months in a coma. Her apartment had not changed one bit, looking the same as the day she arrived in Central City. She laid down on the couch, pulling her knees to her chest.
"Are you feeling alright?"
"Just a little tired, I guess."
"Get some rest. You've got a lot to do...what with your classes beginning tomorrow and work."
"W—what?"
He tucked a few strands of golden blonde hair behind her ear. "You have nine months of business to make up for, sweetheart. We're lucky that Stone's payment went through before the accident. Everyone missed you so much, but no one more than me. You're my best girl."
As his thumb brushed against her cheek, she felt a strange sensation flow through her body, like drinking several, giant cups of coffee at once. He let out a small yawn, blaming it on a lack of sleep from a charity event the night before, and pecked her cheek before leaving her alone in the living room…
